Evolution of particle-scale dynamics in an aging clay suspension

Multispeckle x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy was employed to characterize the slow dynamics of a colloidal suspension formed by highly-charged, nanometer-sized disks. At scattering wave vectors $q$ corresponding to interparticle length scales, the dynamic structure factor follows a form $f(q,t) \sim \exp[-(t/\tau)^{\beta}$], where $\beta \approx$ 1.5. The characteristic relaxation time $\tau$ increases with the sample age $t_a$ approximately as $\tau \sim t_a^{1.8}$ and decreases with $q$ approximately as $\tau \sim q^{-1}$. Such a compressed exponential decay with relaxation time that varies inversely with $q$ is consistent with recent models that describe the dynamics in disordered elastic media in terms of strain from random, local structural rearrangements. The amplitude of the measured decay in $f(q,t)$ varies with $q$ in a manner that implies caged particle motion at short times. The decrease in the range of this motion and an increase in suspension conductivity with increasing $t_a$ indicate a growth in the interparticle repulsion as the mechanism for internal stress development implied by the models.Comment: 4 pages, includes 4 postscript figures; accepted for publication in Phys Rev Let

The motivating operation and negatively reinforced problem behavior. A systematic review.

The concept of motivational operations exerts an increasing influence on the understanding and assessment of problem behavior in people with intellectual and developmental disability. In this systematic review of 59 methodologically robust studies of the influence of motivational operations in negative reinforcement paradigms in this population, we identify themes related to situational and biological variables that have implications for assessment, intervention, and further research. There is now good evidence that motivational operations of differing origins influence negatively reinforced problem behavior, and that these might be subject to manipulation to facilitate favorable outcomes. There is also good evidence that some biological variables warrant consideration in assessment procedures as they predispose the person's behavior to be influenced by specific motivational operations. The implications for assessment and intervention are made explicit with reference to variables that are open to manipulation or that require further research and conceptualization within causal models

Computational NMR investigation of mixed-metal (Al,Sc)-MIL-53 and its phase transitions

Funding: The authors would like to thank the ERC (Advanced Grant 787073 ADOR) and the Allan Handsel Postgraduate Research Scholarship for Chemistry for studentship funding for ZHD and EALB, respectively. We also acknowledge support from the Collaborative Computational Project on NMR Crystallography (CCP-NC) funded by EPSRC (EP/T026642/1) and from the UK Materials and Molecular Modelling Hub (Young), which is partially funded by EPSRC (EP/T022213/1, EP/W032260/1 and EP/P020194/1) for which access was obtained via the UKCP consortium and funded by EPSRC (EP/P022561/1).Compositionally complex metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have properties that depend on local structure that is often difficult to characterise. In this paper a density functional theory (DFT) computational study of mixed-metal (Al,Sc)-MIL-53, a flexible MOF with several different forms, was used to calculate the relative energetics of these forms and to predict NMR parameters that can be used to evaluate whether solid-state NMR spectroscopy can be used to differentiate, identify and characterise the forms adopted by mixed-metal MOFs of different composition. The NMR parameters can also be correlated with structural features in the different forms, giving fundamental insight into the nature and origin of the interactions that affect nuclear spins. Given the complexity of advanced NMR experiments required, and the potential need for expensive and difficult isotopic enrichment, the computational work is invaluable in predicting which experiments and approaches are likely to give the most information on the disorder, local structure and pore forms of these mixed-metal MOFs.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Techniques and applications in water science and engineering

This Special Issue of Water on "Techniques and Applications in Water Science and Engineering" publishes selected high-quality research papers presented at the Inaugural International Symposium onWater Modelling (iSymWater2019). The symposium was hosted by Beijing Normal University and Manchester Metropolitan University, and took place during 8-10 July 2019 in Beijing, China. A wide range of research topics were considered, including hydraulic modelling, hydro-environment modelling, hydro-ecology modelling, water management simulation, physical experiments, and software. The Issue reports eight papers by researchers from many institutions around the world, and focuses on solving sustainable water challenges through theoretical and physical modelling approaches

Tracer Advection in an Idealised River Bend with Groynes

This paper presents numerical simulations of particle advection in the bend of an open channel containing groynes, which is an idealised form of a shallow river bend in a wide river. The flow field is computed using a boundary-fitted solver of the non-orthogonal, curvilinear shallow water equations. The computational grid is generated by solving Poisson-type elliptic partial differential equations using an iterative multi-grid scheme for prescribed boundary coordinates. The shallow water equations are discretised with finite differences in space, and 4th order Runge-Kutta integration in time. Tracers introduced at specific initial locations have their trajectories computed using Lagrangian particle tracking. The numerical shallow flow model is verified by comparison to the analytical solution of fully developed flow in an open channel. The combined shallow flow and Lagrangian particle-tracking model is then used to simulate the advection of tracer particles in a rectangular channel containing a pair of parallel groynes, and tracer particles in a curved open channel containing groynes, of dimensions roughly equivalent to a Danube River bend

Immunogenicity of a universal HIV-1 vaccine vectored by DNA, MVA and CHADV-63 in a Phase I/IIA clinical trial

Background The major challenge facing both antibody and T cell-eliciting vaccines against HIV-1 is the extreme variability of the HIV-1 genome: a successful vaccine has to effectively target diverse HIV-1 strains circulating in the population and then must deal with ongoing virus escape in infected individuals. To address these issues, we assembled a vaccine immunogen HIVconsv from the functionally most conserved regions (not epitopes) of the HIV-1 proteome. Methods A gene coding for the HIVconsv immunogen was inserted into plasmid DNA (D), modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA; M) and non-replicating adenovirus of a chimpanzee origin ChAdV-63 (C). Currently, combined heterologous prime-boost regimens of these vaccines, namely CM, DDDCM and DDDMC, are being evaluated in a phase I/IIa trial HIV-CORE002 in healthy HIV-1/2-negative volunteers in Oxford. Results Preliminary data indicate that the vaccines are well tolerated and show high immunogenicity. Following the CM regimen, vaccine-induced T cell frequencies reached a median of 5150 (range 1475 to 16495) SFU/106 PMBC ex vivo one week post MVA vaccination. DNA priming increased subsequent T cell responses to ChAdV-63 vaccination (median: C 577 and DDDC 1328 SFU/106 PBMC) and ELISpot responses again peaked 1 week following MVA (median 4500; range 2260-7960 SFU/106 PBMC). Matrix analyses of the participants following CM vaccination showed that T cells responded to a range of peptides across the length of HIVconsv. The CM regimen elicited IFN-γ in both CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subsets and polyfunctional (IFN-γ & TNF-α) responses to HIVconsv peptides. Conclusion Presented data will be very much work in progress. Nevetheless, the HIVconsv vaccines have so far induced T cell responses superior to other HIV-1 vaccine candidates tested to date. ChAdV-63 is the first adenovirus of chimp origin delivering an HIV-1-derived immunogen that has reached the clinic. The work is supported by Medical Research Council UK